He who is blameless
Prov. 28:1 begins by says the wicked man flees though no one pursues. What a terrible existence, to always be looking over one’s shoulder. There is a term in psychology called transference. Simply put, it means the patient transfers or projects his feelings upon those around him. So, in this instance, because a man is wicked, he is always suspect of those around him, thinking because he would do harm to others, others would do harm to him.
The second verse of Proverbs 28 is just as bad as the first: when a country is rebellious, it has many rulers. As a child, we had to know not only the President’s and Vice-President’s names, we also had to know the name and function of the Cabinet members. These people, along with our Congressmen, were our leaders. Today, we have people called Czars in addition to our Executive Staff and Legislative Staff. Why do we have so many leaders, yet our country seems to be drifting upon the seas of discontentment and smashing against the rocks of partisanship and enmity? The answer is simple: rebellion. Rebellion against God and His laws. We have turned our backs upon the living God to pursue our own desires.
Proverbs uses comparisons to show us God’s will vs. man’s desires. We see the rewards of the blameless and the punishment of the wicked. One of the most pungent verses in this chapter says he who leads the upright along an evil path will fall into his own trap (v. 10) But it is followed by what I consider the central verse of this Chapter–whoever confesses and renounces them (his sins) finds mercy.
Mercy, grace and love–if Jesus is the cornerstone of the gospel, then these are certainly the foundation. God has said He is holy, be thou holy, too. But we are incapable of holiness because we were born in sin and we live in a sinful world. So God says, I cannot overlook sin, but what I can do is provide a redeemer for your sin so that you can be reconciled to me and we can fellowship one with another.
Today (and every day) I put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10). I wear the helmet of salvation to protect my mind from assaults by the enemy, I put on the breastplate of righteousness to protect my heart from slings and arrows that would weaken my witness, I gird my loins with truth, the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I shod my feet with the gospel of peace, so that the footprints I leave will blossom into fragrant flowers of peace, I pick up the shield of faith which I can use to deflect the attacks of the enemy, and the sword of the Spirit, the very Word of the very living God and I use only the Word to answer the attacks of the enemy, for the enemy cannot be debated, cannot be persuaded. And, I pray. I pray that God will give me the spirit of discernment, the wisdom of Solomon, and the compassion of Jesus.
- Posted in: Uncategorized
Seeking Holiness 